


nonlinear progress

by dreamtowns



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Fluff, Healing, Hospitalization, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Eating Disorders, M/M, Married Life, Recovery, Soft Husbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:40:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21828337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamtowns/pseuds/dreamtowns
Summary: Three minutes into Noctis’ staff meeting, he gets the phone call. Prompto’s been admitted to the hospital, and they need him there.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 7
Kudos: 264





	nonlinear progress

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Final Fantasy XV. All rights reserved to its developers: Square Enix. All that is mine is the plot of this story in particular and any original characters introduced. No copyright infringement intended. No money is being made from this work. This is purely for entertainment purposes.
> 
> Wrote this because I'm currently struggling with my own eating disorder, and I'm not really in a safe and supportive environment right now. Even when you're technically "recovered" from an eating disorder, it really does sneak back up on you if you're not careful. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!!

“Hey there,” is what Prompto hears when he comes to, gentle fingers rubbing soft circles in the small of his wrist. “You gave me quite a scare, baby.”

Prompto opens his eyes, a little groggy, a bit dazed. “Wh—huh?”

Noctis’ smiling, exhausted expression shimmers into view as does the rest of the area. To his left, machines beep and buzz into existence. Distantly, voices murmur with orders and information. Someone’s voice crackles in the air, asking for a _Dr. Yamada_ to come to the emergency room. Prompto breathes around something in his throat. It's not a feeding tube (he knows that feeling far too well), but, rather, a metaphorical ball when he becomes cognizant of where he is and what it means. 

Hospital.

Prompto’s in a _hospital._

“Hey, hey, shh.” Noctis cups his cheek, gently rubbing his thumb against Prompto’s skin. It calms Prompto, like it always does. “It’s okay. You’ve been out for a few hours.”

“Wha’ happ’n?” Prompto croaks out, throat dry and scratchy. His skin itches at the IV and he does his best not to look down. He’s never been good at seeing things stuck into his skin.

The last thing Prompto remembers is getting ready to meet up with Aranea, Loqi, and Cindy.

“You collapsed in the living room,” Noctis says quietly, eyes a little haunted as he remembers why Prompto was in the hospital. “Aranea found you when – when you weren’t answering your phone and didn’t show up for lunch.”

Prompto grimaces at the mental image. He vaguely remembers feeling lightheaded enough to consider cancelling, but he knows how excited everyone was to meet up with one another. Life was hard, and sometimes that meant going months without seeing your friends.

Noctis cards gentle fingers through Prompto’s hair and pretends he isn’t shaking. “You really, really scared me, baby,” Noctis whispers around the ball in his throat. “I thought—gods, I thought I lost you.”

Prompto, though still a little weak and dazed, reaches for Noctis. After losing his mother young, and all the scares Regis put them through, Prompto understands how terrified Noctis would have been when called by the hospital. Noctis’ hand shakes beneath Prompto’s.

“S’rry, I—.”

“Shh, it’s okay,” Noctis smiles before he presses a light kiss to Prompto’s forehead. “You don’t need to apologize, okay? You’re out of the danger zone, and that’s all that matters right now.”

The door to the room opens, and a familiar doctor ambles inside the room with a soft smile. “Glad to see you’re up, Mr. Caelum!”

Lightly, Noctis snorts. “Which one are you talking to?”

Mockingly stern, Luna points a finger at Noctis. “You know who I’m referring to, mister.” When Prompto’s laugh turns into a cough, she pats his socked foot and turns her attention toward him. “How are you feeling, Prompto?”

He croaks out an unintelligible response. Her lips quirk, amused.

She makes quick work of checking his vitals, doing a lot of doctor-y things that makes Prompto’s head spin. When he opens his eyes again, headache slightly receded, Luna and Noctis are discussing Prompto’s situation. He listens distantly, interested but also not all there at the moment.

When they’ve finished, Luna leaves after she squeezes his foot lightly and a promise to return within the hour. Noctis holds his hand in a tight, though still gentle, grip. His expression is unreadable, but Prompto knows Noctis well enough to read the turbulent storm of emotions he’s trying to shovel down until later.

“Baby . . .,” Noctis starts after the silence has made Prompto worry his bottom lip. “You’re . . . I know you’ve been having trouble . . . eating, again.”

Prompto swallows, but he doesn’t deny it. Doesn’t tense up at the inevitable confrontation. With all the stress of his job, of trying to reconnect with old friends, food just fell in the back of his mind; something he remembered vaguely and, honestly, didn’t mean to ignore and forget. Though, there were moments where Prompto received negative feedback or messed up on a project, and he’d go back into old habits to cope.

“Yeah, I . . . I have,” he says, Noctis waiting for him to gather his thoughts. “I didn’t want to worry you—and I know you’ll worry anyway, because you love me,” Prompto adds when he sees Noctis open his mouth, “but I . . . it just caught me unaware, honestly.”

Noctis hums in consideration, thumb circling Prompto’s palm. Prompto soaks in the warmth of Noctis, of his love and worry, and remembers to breathe.

His voice is small when he asks, “Are you mad?”

Immediately, Noctis shakes his head. “No, baby, _never_. Not for something like this,” he continues quietly, taking hold of both of Prompto’s hands now. “We’re going to get through this, okay, and you’re going to be okay . . . I know you’re not a fan, but you’re going back to therapy.”

“I figured,” Prompto says and, honestly, he’s not even that annoyed. He knows he’s scared Noctis, knows he’s scared _everyone_.

“Pretty sure Iggy’s gonna make you lunches like he did back in high school,” Noctis adds after a pause, and then chuckles. “honestly, I’m a little jealous—I miss Ignis’ cooking.”

“Yeah, everything except the vegetables,” Prompto teases, and laughs when Noctis soft smile twists into a disgruntled expression. Even in his early thirties, Noctis’ distaste of vegetables hadn’t ceased, much to Ignis’ dismay. The levity of the atmosphere disappears, almost instantly, and Prompto feels tears prickle when he breathes out, “Noct, really, I—,”

Noctis pulls him into a soft embrace, wrapping arms around him, and Prompto has never felt safer, never felt more loved. “Hey, it’s okay. These things happen. It’s not your fault.”

“I really am sorry,” Prompto murmurs against Noctis’ collarbone. “For scaring you like that.”

“You’re forgiven,” Noctis murmurs as he plays with Prompto’s fingers. “Just get back to a healthy weight again, that’s all I want.”

Prompto hums in agreement and falls quiet. He listens to the sound of Noctis’ heartbeat, breathes in the warmth as Noctis pulls him as close as the hospital bed and IV wires will allow, and says, “One step at a time.”

Noctis presses his lips against the crown of Prompto’s forehead, and echoes, “One step at a time.”

**Author's Note:**

> Drop a comment/kudos if you enjoyed it!


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